Groong Podcast Digest — Week of September 21–27, 2026

• EP588: Hovik and Asbed reflect on Armenia’s 35th independence anniversary amid the aftermath of Artsakh’s ethnic cleansing, Armenian prisoners of war held in Baku, rising citizenship costs, government opacity over war casualties, and deepening Turkey-Azerbaijan strategic coordination.
• EP589: Arthur Khachatryan, MP from Armenia Alliance, discusses opposition strategy after the June 2026 election, territorial concessions including Tigranashen, Azerbaijani attacks on Armenian heritage, TRIPP and Azerbaijan’s control over transit corridors, the future of Russia’s 102nd military base, and escalating threats against opposition parties.
• EP590: Dziunik Aghajanian examines Russia’s September 2026 parliamentary elections, the Armenia-Russia confrontation over the 102nd base, asset confiscation targeting Russian interests, and how Middle East escalation reshapes Armenia’s strategic environment.

This Week’s Podcast Episodes

Episode 588: Armenia at 35: Independence, Loss, and Unfinished Wars | Ep 588, Sep 20, 2026

As Armenia marks 35 years of independence, Hovik and Asbed examine the state of Armenian statehood three years after the complete displacement of more than 150,000 Armenian inhabitants from Artsakh in September 2023. The hosts reflect on what independence means when a core piece of Armenia’s territorial and cultural identity has been lost, and they stress the importance of preserving Artsakh’s historical memory, language, and cultural legacy. The episode also addresses the ongoing detention of Armenian prisoners of war in Baku and the government’s continued reluctance to provide transparent accounting of military casualties from the 2020 44-Day War and subsequent years.

Regional developments dominate the second half of the discussion. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s visit to Baku underscores the deepening strategic coordination between Turkey and Azerbaijan, a reality that shapes Armenia’s security environment. The hosts examine the Turkey-Azerbaijan-Pakistan axis and its implications for the South Caucasus , as well as broader Eurasian transit corridors like TRIPP, which reflect competing Russian, Turkish, and American interests in the region. An Armenia-Iran simplified customs corridor offers a modest counterweight to these pressures.

Domestic political developments also receive attention, including a sharp increase in citizenship application fees, developments in municipal elections in Goris and Meghri, and the Investigative Committee’s release of casualty figures from 2020. Throughout, the hosts emphasize the need for greater government transparency and raise questions about Armenia’s strategic positioning in a region where Turkish-Azerbaijani coordination continues to shape outcomes.

Watch/Listen: Episode 588

Keywords: Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Process , Artsakh Blockade, Ethnic Cleansing, Prisoners of War , 44-Day War, South Caucasus, Pashinyan , Zangezur Corridor , Ukraine War, Armenian Diaspora

Episode 589: Arthur Khachatryan - Opposition Strategy, TRIPP, and the Russian Base | Ep 589, Sep 23, 2026

Arthur Khachatryan, an MP from the Parliamentary Opposition party Armenia Alliance, outlined the opposition’s political position following the June 2026 parliamentary election and Pashinyan’s continued hold on executive power. Khachatryan emphasized that the opposition now holds parliamentary seats and bears responsibility for Armenia’s future, even as it contests government policies it views as harmful to national interests. The conversation ranged across several critical security and territorial issues facing Armenia, including the proposed transfer of Tigranashen and other border enclaves to Azerbaijan as part of ongoing delimitation negotiations. Khachatryan stressed that these territorial concessions represent an existential concern for opposition parties, which have only limited leverage to prevent constitutional changes they consider contrary to Armenia’s strategic interests.

The discussion shifted to Azerbaijan’s ongoing campaign against Armenian cultural heritage, including statements by Azerbaijani officials targeting Gandzasar, Dadivank, and other historical Armenian monuments. Khachatryan argued that Pashinyan’s government has failed to mount an effective diplomatic or public response to these claims, leaving Armenia’s historical narrative vulnerable. He questioned whether political figures or academic institutions like Matenadaran should take the lead in defending Armenia’s heritage record. The episode also explored TRIPP and the Zangezur Corridor, with Khachatryan raising concerns about what “unimpeded access” means in practice: who controls entry and exit points, whether Armenian citizens could travel between Armenian communities, and how the corridor’s width and proximity to the Armenia-Iran border would affect Armenia’s sovereignty and regional leverage.

Toward the end, Khachatryan addressed the status of Russia’s 102nd Military Base in Gyumri. With reports suggesting the base’s future may be uncertain, he examined whether Armenia has realistic security alternatives if Russian protection withdraws. The conversation touched on asset confiscation campaigns that have strained Armenia-Russia relations and raised questions about which actors ultimately benefit from seized properties. Khachatryan also noted escalating pressure on the ARF Dashnaktsutyun, with Civil Contract statements suggesting the government may move to suppress the historic opposition party, a development that signals narrowing political space for dissent.

Watch/Listen: Episode 589

Keywords: Armenia Alliance, 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election , Pashinyan, Tigranashen, TRIPP, Zangezur Corridor, Armenian Cultural Heritage, Russian Peacekeepers, Established Opposition, South Caucasus

Episode 590: Dziunik Aghajanian - From Moscow to Riyadh: New Fault Lines Around Armenia | Ep 590, Sep 25, 2026

Dziunik Aghajanian analyzes the geopolitical pressures bearing on Armenia following Russia’s September 2026 parliamentary elections, in which United Russia secured a strengthened position in the State Duma. Aghajanian discusses what the result signals about Putin’s domestic political standing and whether it opens space for negotiation or escalation in Ukraine. The conversation turns to whether Russia’s leadership succession might occur before the 2028 presidential election, and how the broader security environment could shape any transition. She argues that succession will depend partly on Russia’s security situation and the international order.

The episode addresses Middle East escalation through Houthi attacks on Saudi targets, blockades of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and Iran’s role in the regional conflict. Aghajanian contends that wider military escalation could spread beyond the Middle East and affect the South Caucasus, particularly southern Armenia. She connects these developments to the TRIPP project, and possible Turkish and Azerbaijani roles in a larger conflict involving Iran. The discussion also covers Armenian-Azerbaijani disputes over enclaves and territorial claims.

Aghajanian examines why Putin publicly raised the possibility of withdrawing the Russian 102nd Military Base in Gyumri and why neither Moscow nor Yerevan appears eager to take the initiative. She argues the base still matters to Armenia’s security, particularly in relation to Turkey, while Russia maintains strategic interest in a South Caucasus presence. The conversation then turns to Armenia’s asset-confiscation campaign targeting figures like Gagik Tsarukyan and Robert Kocharyan’s family, asking whether these efforts constitute part of a broader de-Russification process. Finally, Aghajanian addresses the opposition’s strategy in Armenia, arguing that opposition movements must organize continuously while remaining ready to mobilize when public anger reaches a critical point.

Watch/Listen: Episode 590

Keywords: Vladimir Putin, Russia-Armenia Relations, South Caucasus, Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Process, Iran War, Middle East Escalation, 102nd Military Base, TRIPP, Corruption, Armenian Opposition

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